Everybody loves cool and flashy power systems, and Naruto undoubtedly delivers on that front with a range of jutsu from iconic to played out. Jutsu acted as the special move and trump card throughout all of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, but even with 720 episodes under their belts, there were still so many jutsu that we didn’t get to see enough of. We all know the Rasengan and Chidori, but every ninja in the series has a deep bag of techniques they could break out. However, too often, we see the same jutsu used time and time again. So today, we will not only cover the top 5 underrated jutsu, but we’ll also look at the 5 that fans have seen more than enough of!
Most of the most iconic jutsu got their flowers and love throughout the series, but there are plenty of one-off techniques we get to see that have undeniable potential. From basic attacks to support abilities, there have been countless jutsu that fans wanted to see applied more often. Being the cornerstone of the series’s power system, the battles that featured the best or most creative jutsu often became fan favorites. We may all be tired of shadow clone spam, but any keen-eyed fan would be aware that for every Chidori, there is a Dust Release technique.
Underrated: Demonic Illusion: Steaming Multistoried Building
First, we have a genjutsu that fans got to see for the first time during the Fourth Great Ninja War. This jutsu was used by Gengetsu Hōzuki, the Second Mizukage, who had been resurrected to face the allied shinobi forces. The late Mizukage casts this genjutsu in tandem with his giant clam summon, and even as a B-ranked jutsu, it quickly shifts the tides of the battle. This ability is not one of direct damage output but instead focuses heavily on battlefield control while strikers and support pick off the enemy.
As an ability that had only been seen once, this genjutsu quickly proved its merit in battle, and either abilities like it or the jutsu itself deserved more attention in the series. The jutsu itself makes the entire battlefield into a steam-filled illusion machine that could debatably even fool a perfected Junchūriki, as they aren’t under the effects of anything but hyper-realistic mirages. If more of our genjutsu-focused characters used this in high-stakes battles, it would set up any ninja who lacks a perception-based Kekkei Genkai.
Overrated: Sexy Jutsu
A slapstick comedic jutsu often used by Naruto in the early episodes of the series, as well as a handful of times throughout Naruto: Shippuden. This jutsu has a novelty and nostalgia factor to it, given that it is one of the earliest techniques used by Naruto, but it quickly becomes a frequent attempt at shock humor, and even rears its head in terms of the Reverse Harem Jutsu used during the final fight against Kaguya.
Underrated: Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu
Phoenix Flower Jutsu has been seen substantially more than the other four entries; however, with a name like that, this move could have been the cornerstone of a ninja’s repertoire. Phoenix Flower Jutsu is a fire-based attack that we see used in both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, used by a handful of Sharingan-wielding shinobi. Unlike the constantly used Fireball Jutsu, this versatile counterpart has instances of adaptation that the powerhouse fire jutsus don’t lend themselves to. We see both Sasuke and Kakashi utilize this jutsu as a battle hazard, firing a volley of flaming spheres, forcing opponents into defensive and evasive footing.
On top of the volley, there have also been instances of a ninja concealing shuriken within the attack to add a level of complexity and lethality to the jutsu. With all of this in mind, this versatile jutsu with one of the coolest names in the series deserves to be featured far more prominently in Naruto.
Overrated: Chidori
The Chidori is a technique taught to Sasuke by Kakashi and is first seen in Naruto Chapter 113, where it is revealed as Sasuke’s trump card against Gaara. After this moment, the audience begins to see the Chidori used in every fight Sasuke participates in, and even as a fan favorite, it is one hundred percent overused, and the evolved versions of it introduced in Shippuden were well needed.
Underrated: Spiralling Ring and Great Spiralling Ring
During Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, fans were introduced to Menma, an alternate universe version of Naruto who flourished in ninjutsu quickly and who acted as the villain of this movie. However, this villain came with a handful of very interesting jutsu, one of which could have been an eventual adaptation for Naruto’s Rasengan down the line. The Spiraling Ring and Great Spiralling Ring are black-colored balls of chakra, like a Rasengan, but surrounded by rotating white rings.
This move is shown to be fairly powerful, and the Great version of it is shown to be able to destroy a bulk of Konoha, much like Pain’s Almighty Push. Having been a movie-based Jutsu, we never got to see it used beyond this point, but surely fans can all agree that seeing Naruto expand upon the Rasengan beyond the Rasenshuriken and expanding his tool kit would be well received.
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Overrated: Rasengan
Naruto’s bread and butter, this jutsu was passed down from his father and has been a constant of the series after its introduction. This ability was Naruto’s trump card and has been seen in just about every fight that Naruto has taken part in. Naruto does improve upon the technique, and we see many variations of it in Shippuden, but let’s just call it like we see it and say we’ve seen it enough. It doesn’t help that Boruto seems to have taken the mantle for Naruto in terms of adopting this as his ultimate finisher, although they eventually both at least create new spins on the formula.
Underrated: Summoning: Crushing Toad Stomach
As seen in Naruto: Shippuden Episode 131, the Crushing Toad Stomach is a technique used by Jiraiya in his battle against Pain. This technique falls under the umbrella of summoning and reverse summoning jutsu and abides by the typical toad-themed techniques of the Legendary Sanin.
After being backed into a corner against the Giant Multi-Headed Dog, Jiraiya reverse-summons himself and the dogs into the stomach of a toad, causing the dogs to finally be destroyed as the stomach begins to digest them. Although (spoiler alert) Jiraiya would not make it out of this fight alive, his student, who would go forward and master the Toad Sage form, Naruto, could have used this jutsu in multiple battles, including his face-off with Pain.
Overrated: Shadow Clone Technique
Speaking of calling it like we see it, our protagonist has likely made more shadow clones than we can hope to count! Naruto loves this jutsu and rightfully uses it in every single fight in both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. Yes, the shinobi does use it quite creatively, but after the hundredth puff of smoke from a destroyed clone, we can comfortably say that we would love to see Naruto do something else, anything else, maybe not the Rasengan, but something.
Underrated: Heavenly Transfer Technique
Mabui, the Fourth Raikage’s assistant, is the user of this final technique we want to see more of. The Heavenly Transfer Technique is capable of transferring an item to a desired destination through a beam of light. This ability is typically used on inanimate objects, yet we see it used to transport the Fourth Raikage and Lady Tsunade during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.
This technique needs either inanimate objects or incredibly durable targets; however, it is undeniably powerful and could have been used far more efficiently and frequently, considering it is a jutsu type on par with things like Kamui and Flying Thunder God.
Overrated: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
A jutsu used by practically all noteworthy Sharingan-bearing characters throughout the series, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique is often referred to as the Uchiha clan’s signature technique. This attack is used ad nauseum throughout the series, and its frequency of use removes the oomph from it beyond Naruto Part 1.
Early uses of the technique are fairly flashy and are shown to quickly dispatch swaths of low-level opponents like shadow clones, but eventually, the ability becomes a common fire-based attack that can’t even singe the eyebrows of the upper echelon of shinobi. Let it rest, Sasuke, it’s okay.
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